What is a root canal? It is a dental procedure that is used to remove decay and bacteria from the pulp chamber and root canals of teeth. It may be used as a treatment option if inflammation is present.
Teeth wear down from eating, talking, and brushing, there is nothing we can do to prevent that. The root however can be protected. It is the main support for teeth thus it is essential for everyone to take care of the outer layer of our teeth that protect it from harmful bacteria. Whenever this layer is destroyed or decayed beyond repair, there is a chance the root may become infected, causing intense pain and allowing bacteria to penetrate deeper into the body. When that happens, many suddenly fear the root canal, one of the most basic endodontic practices known to dentists.
But what is a root canal specifically? This treatment is removing the infected pulp tissue that surrounds a tooth’s root killing any bacteria and then creating an airtight seal in order to prevent more decay from occurring. Since the root is surrounded by blood vessels and nerves, root canal is done under anesthesia in order to minimize pain for the patient as much as possible. Of course many would argue that statement, saying that pain during such an operation is unbearable, anesthetics or not. That is the tragedy of root canal. Since a dentist is working so close to the nervous system it is impossible to fully negate any pain but pain medication should minimize any inconvenience. The procedure itself shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes and should not have any lasting effects on your tooth or overall health. Many are concerned about the effects of long-term antibiotics and pain, it is recommended that before getting a root canal this concern should be addressed by the dentist.
A root canal may seem like a scary procedure, but it’s really not that bad. It is after all the most common dental practice that many people will need at some point in their lives. Depending on where one may live it can also be relatively cheap, going between $600 and upwards of $1,000 in the United States. Whenever there is a question ‘What is a root canal?’ People think about a painful process of rooting inside a tooth for a long time, and afterwards giving the patient a headache from the bill. But in reality it is nothing but a 15 minute procedure that costs no more than 3 standard teeth whitening.
